Ginn strikes back, leads Fins over Jets

Dolphins wide receiver Ted Ginn responded to his benching with a historic performance, tying an NFL record with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a single quarter to lead Miami to a 30-25 win over the rival New York Jets.

Ginn said all the right things after his history-equaling performance, stressing that he "just wanted to make plays" for a team that has had few big ones this season.

Against the Jets, with the momentum seemingly on New York's side after a pair of scoring drives engineered by Mark Sanchez, Ginn made a spectacular rebuttal.

The first TD return was vintage Ginn, as he veered to the sideline and outran every Jet with a chance to bring him down.

But it was the second return that was special, as Ginn made two quick cuts in the hole when it seemed like he was in danger, found the outside again and was off to the races.

Two returns for a total of 201 yards, and those runbacks, coupled with Jason Taylor's 48-yard fumble return for a TD, helped the Dolphins stave of Sanchez and a furious Jets rally.

Miami won despite being outgained 378 yards to 104, their fewest yards ever in a win.

The Dolphins won despite Chad Henne completing 12-of-21 yards for a piddling 112 yards and one TD. The Wildcat was also held in check by the Jets, as the running game was held to a season-low 51 yards.

Henne was even sacked six times, as New York blitzes came at him from seemingly every angle.

But the young quarterback showed his cool, leading his team on the game-clinching TD march after a Sanchez 19-yard scoring toss to Braylon Edwards had cut the lead to 24-19.

Henne connected with tight end Joey Haynos on a key third-down conversion for 15 yards, then hit Haynos with the winning TD pass a few plays later.

It's the second time in three weeks the Dolphins have beaten the Jets, who have lost four of their last five after a 3-0 start.

Miami is now 3-4, with all three wins coming in the AFC East, which bodes well for the next game against the New England Patriots.

The victory overshadowed the continuing defensive breakdowns for the Dolphins, who again weren't able to consistenly pressure the passer in the second half.

Sanchez also riddled the suspect pass defense for 265 yards and two TDs, and Thomas Jones gained 102 yards on the ground.

Ginn was the story, but don't forget, he didn't make a single catch Sunday, as none of the Dolphins wide receivers were particularly effective.

Only two wideouts caught a pass from Henne, with Davone Bess leading the team with four catches -- for a paltry 18 yards.

The Dolphins know they were lucky to get out of the Meadowlands with a win, and there is still a lot to work on as Tom Brady & company loom.

Dolphins Watch has moved to a new home, which you can find by clicking on the following link: http://www.realclearsports.com/blognetwork/dolphins_watch/.

(Photo: Yahoo Images)

Dolphins climb back into AFC East race

The Jets-Dolphins rivalry is back, and the nation got a chance to see two up-and-coming football teams play a classic game Monday night.

Ronnie Brown and the Wildcat got the better of the Jets, with Brown scoring a 2-yard touchdown run with six seconds left to give the Fins a 31-27 win that puts them back in the AFC East race.

There were several positives in the performance, and many of them were on offense.

We learned that the Wildcat is not just a "fad," as Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan called it prior to the start of the season.

In recent weeks, the Dolphins have run the Wildcat more and more often, culminating Monday night with 16 snaps out of the formation.

Miami gianed 110 yards in the Wildcat, the most since they unveiled the formation last season at New England, and they averaged 6.9 yards per play.

On the last madcap drive, in which Miami went 70 yards in 13 plays and ate up four minutes and 59 seconds of clock, the Wildcat accounted for 25 yards on four plays.

It has become apparent that the Dolphins, who ran for 158 yards and are the top-rushing team in the NFL, can run on any defense.

Brown gained 74 yards on 21 carries and scored twice, and Ricky Williams added 68 yards on 11 carries.

However, the team suffered a big loss when it was announced that backup running back Patrick Cobbs will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

Cobbs is a key contributor to the Wildcat, though he doesn't often run the ball.

His biggest asset is as a blocker. If you watched the highlights, there was Cobbs, clearing space downfield for Williams on a big first down run out of the Wildcat in the first quarter.

He also added a big-play element to the formation. Remember Cobbs' 80-yard TD catch out of the formation last year against the Houston Texans?

Now, preseason star Lex Hilliard be called on to replace Cobbs as the third running back. Ted Ginn will again handle the kickoff return duties, a job Cobbs had taken over this season.

The other revelation was the Dolphins' passing game, which was finally able to stretch the field and make the big plays that had largely been missing this season.

Chad Henne had his best game as a pro, completing 20-of-26 passes for 262 yards and two TDs.

He looked poised in the pocket, and he was accurate and showcased a strong arm.

Henne's most impressive throw was a 53-yard rainbow to Ginn for a TD that gave the Dolphins a 24-20 lead.

Ginn beat triple coverage on that play, and maybe now he will be more of an offensive factor since it's clear Henne has the arm to get him the ball.

But Henne's most important throws came on the game-winning drive.

On 3rd-and-5 from the New York 30-yardline, Henne slid to his left to avoid a seven-man blitz, and delivered a perfect pass to Greg Camarillo for 14 yards and a crucial first down.

Two plays later, facing 3rd-and-10 from the 16, Henne showed good mobility, rolling right and drilling another accurate throw to Camarillo on a comeback route for 12 yards and another first down.

Two not-so-routine passes, both well-executed, and both for big plays that kept the winning drive alive.

The flip side of the offensive fireworks was another poor performance by the defense.

For the first time this season, a team was able to consitently run the ball against Miami, as the Jets pounded the Fins for a season-high 138 yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry.

Thomas Jones scored two TDs, one on a 7-yard run where New York's offensive line completely blew out the Dolphins front.

The pass defense was a little better, holding Mark Sanchez to 12-of-24 passing for 172 yards, but whenever he seemed to need a big play, Sanchez got it.

The Dolphins had practically no pass rush, allowing Sanchez to step up in the pocket for big plays like a 34-yard pass to Braylon Edwards.

Cornerback Will Allen had one of his worst days as a Dolphin, allowing the newly acquired Edwards to pick up 64 yards on five catches and score a TD.

Allen also drew a phantom pass interference call on another play when Edwards had clearly beaten him, but he dropped the potential TD pass.

David Clowney even found a way to get behind the Dolphins defense, as he beat Vontae Davis and Yeremiah Bell for a 53-yard reception that led to Edwards' big catch a few plays later.

The offense is still a work in progress, but the Dolphins have to feel good about it heading into the bye week. The pass defense however, has only slightly improved, ranking 19th in the league.

The Dolphins had just one sack Monday night, and no turnovers forced.

As a team, Miami has only three interceptions, and though the Dolphins rank 10th in the NFL with 12 sacks, half of that total came against woeful Buffalo last week. Miami has only forced six turnovers in five games this season.

That's not enough, and if they can't force offenses into more mistakes, there will be many more high-scoring games like Monday night's affair.

But at 2-3, the Dolphins are alive in the AFC East. And after the bye, they go right back into the fire at home against New Orleans, on the road against these same Jets, then host division-leading New England.

After that stretch, we'll know much more about this team.

(Photo: Yahoo Images)

Mirror images collide Monday night

After losing some steam in recent years, the Miami Dolphins-New York Jets rivalry has returned to prominence over the past two seasons.

Monday night, the two teams meet before a national audience, in a game that will be televised by ESPN.

The Jets will no doubt be playing the revenge card in this one.

It was Miami that ended their dreams of a playoff berth in 2008, and ended the Brett Favre Era in one fell swoop in a 24-17 win at the Meadowlands.

Much has changed in that time.

Favre, of course, is in Minnesota. Coach Eric Mangini was fired, and hired by the Cleveland Browns.

The man who replaced Mangini is his polar opposite.

There is no doubt that Rex Ryan is Buddy Ryan's son. He has the same qualities: He's abrasive, arrogant, and he has the most important thing in common with Dad, he's a great defensive football coach.

Ryan has wasted no time in molding the Jets in his image, and they enter Land Shark Stadium 3-1 and as the de facto leaders in the AFC East.

The Dolphins have gotten off to a much slower start, falling to 0-3 and losing starting quarterback Chad Pennington for the season before rebounding for a 38-10 win over Buffalo last week.

Against the Bills, the Dolphins executed what must have been Tony Sparano's and Bill Parcells' dream game plan: They controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes, ran for 250 yards and forced six sacks and three interceptions.

It was an all-around brilliant performance, one in which first-time starter Chad Henne didn't have to do much (14-of-22, 115 yards, 1 TD).

That will likely change Monday night.

The Jets enter with the fourth-ranked defense in the NFL, though last week, they gave up a season-high 153 yards rushing in their first loss of the season to New Orleans.

But with a rookie quarterback under center, you'd better believe Ryan will stack the box in an effort to stop the run and force the ball into Henne's hands.

The last few weeks, the Wildcat offense has been operating at optimum efficiency. Miami leads the NFL in rushing at 183.5 yards per game, and since being held to 96 yards opening week by Atlanta, that number has risen to 212.7 yards per game.

Ronnie Brown has been the master of the Wildcat, ranking fifth in the league in rushing with 369 yards and four TDs.

But, if you remember last year, the only team that consistently stopped the Wildcat was the Baltimore Ravens, with Ryan as defensive coordinator.

In those two games, Brown had 27 and 19 yards rushing, and as a team the Dolphins gained just 153 yards total on the ground.

Ryan likes to blitz with different personnel, and he'll do it from any side of the field.

Also, with Bart Scott, Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis, he had the personnel to stop the Wildcat.

Scott is now a Jet, and he has teammates like David Harris and Brian Thomas who can fly to the football and help stop the run.

Even more remarkable is the fact the Jets are sixth against the pass, despite having the fewest sacks in the league with four.

That's testament to Darrelle Revis, one of the top corners in the game, as well as safeties Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes.

Scheme is what makes the Jets' D so effective, as the sum is truly greater than the individual parts.

Henne will have to take his deep shots when he gets a chance, but Ted Ginn may not have many opportunities with Revis on him.

The flip side of this battle is, the Jets are almost a mirror image of what the Dolphins try to do offensively.

New York ranks eighth in the league in rushing at over 130 yards per game, partly because they have a good trio of running backs in Thomas Jones, Leon Washington and Shonn Greene.

But the Jets also run out of necessity, as quarterback Mark Sanchez is only a rookie and not yet ready to assume the full burden offensively.

The Saints proved that last week, when they bottled up the New York ground attack, and forced Sanchez into 27 pass attempts and three crucial interceptions.

I don't see the Jets being able to run the ball on Miami, since the Dolphins have the No. 1 rushing defense in the league.

Washington will be a handful in the backfield and catching passes, as will tight end Dustin Keller, who will try to exploit what has been a soft spot in the Dolphins defense all year.

Joey Porter returns to help the pass rush, and Cameron Wake should see more playing time after his three-sack effort last week.

New Jets receiver Braylon Edwards gives "The Sanchise" the deep element the offense has been missing.

And that may be what this game comes down to: Which team can make plays in the passing game?

This should be a defensive struggle, but the Dolphins troubles against the pass -- and the unknown quantity in Henne -- tip the scales slightly in New York's favor.

Jets 17, Dolphins 13.

Dolphins-Jets: Charting a memorable rivalry

With all due respect to the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and even the Miami Dolphins' former AFC East playmates, the Indianapolis Colts, no team gets a Dolphins' fan's blood boiling more than the New York Jets.

It's a rivaly that goes back to the salad days of the AFL, when Joe Namath led the Jets on an upward climb that led to their only Super Bowl win in 1969, and the Dolphins were a struggling expansion franchise.

Monday night marks the 88th meeting between the teams, with the Jets holding a 46-40-1 overall edge, including a 13-5 mark against Miami this decade.

There have been many memorable games between the two teams, starting in the 1970s, when Namath went against the Dolphins and their vaunted "53 defense."

Miami won most of those battles, on the way to a 14-6 record against New York in the 1970s, and the Dolphins won their only two Super Bowls following the 1972 and 1973 seasons.

The battle reached its apex in 1982, when the teams met three times in the strike-shortened season, with the final meeting deciding the AFC Championship.

The Dolphins won the first two games, 45-28 and 20-19, and then, in a game that was later dubbed "The Mud Bowl," Dolphins linebacker A.J. Duhe intercepted three Richard Todd passes, returning one 35 yards to seal a 14-0 victory.

In 1985, future Hall-of-Famer Dan Marino hit Mark Duper with a 50-yard touchdown pass with less than a minute to play to give the Dolphins a come-from-behind 21-17 win. Duper, who had missed seven weeks with a broken leg, set a team record in that game with 217 yards receiving.

Then came 1986. In the first game of the Jets-Dolphins rivalry I ever saw, Marino threw a career-high six TD passes and staked the Dolphins to a 45-38 lead late at the Meadowlands.

But with Miami trying to run out the clock -- and needing one first down to do it -- running back Woody Bennett fumbled, and the Jets recovered.

Cue Ken O'Brien to Wesley Walker, as the pair connected for the tying TD with no time left to force overtime.

Then, after winning the all-important coin toss, O'Brien found Walker again -- for Walker's fourth TD and a 51-45 win that remains the highest-scoring game in the series.

O'Brien threw for 479 yards in the victory; Marino passed for 448.

That game propelled the Jets to a nine-game winning streak, and at 10-1 they ventured to the Orange Bowl for a Monday night date with the Dolphins.

What resulted was an improbable blowout, as Marino completed 29-of-36 passes for 288 yards and four TDs, and Lorenzo Hampton gained 150 yards on 19 carries and scored two TDs in a 45-3 victory.

The Jets lost their last five games, but backed into the playoffs at 10-6 that season.

On Dec. 7, 1987, the already intense rivalry became even nastier when Jets defensive tackle Marty Lyons' illegal chop block on future Hall-of-Fame Dolphins center Dwight Stephenson ended Stephenson's career in a 37-28 Jets' victory.

Dolphins coach Don Shula was so upset about the hit that he reportedly chased Lyons out of the locker room with a profanity-laced tirade when the defensive tackle tried to apologize to Stephenson.

The next year, Marino threw for a career best 521 yards, but he also tossed five interceptions -- three to rookie Jets corner Erik McMillan, who returned one 55 yards for a TD in another Jets win.

In 1991, the teams met in the regular season finale at Joe Robbie Stadium with a playoff berth on the line.

Marino passed to Ferrell Edmunds for a 1-yard TD and a 20-17 lead with just 44 seconds left.

But the Dolphins went into a prevent defense, which allowed O'Brien to move the Jets into field goal range, and Raul Allegre booted a 44-yard field goal to tie the game.

Once again, the Jets won the toss and received the ball in overtime, and Allegre put them in the playoffs with a 30-yard kick.

Marino didn't get his revenge until three years later, with the "Clock Play," when he led the Dolphins back from a 24-6 halftime deficit to beat the Jets in 1994.

After throwing two TD passes to Mark Ingram to cut New York's lead to 24-21, Marino drove the Fins to the Jets' 5-yard line with 30 seconds left.

Once there, it looked like Marino was going to spike the ball to set up the next play.

But as we all know, he faked the spike, and hit Ingram for the winning TD pass over rookie Aaron Glenn. The Dolphins won 28-24, and went on to capture the AFC East that season.

The next memorable meeting came in 2000, when the Dolphins took a seemingly insurmountable 30-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

Jets fans still remember the NFL Films microphone picking up this exchange between Dolphins quarterback Jay Fielder and defensive end Jason Taylor:

Fiedler: "They ain't coming back on us!"

Taylor: "Hell no! You kidding? C'mon now."

Of course, the Jets rallied for 23 fourth quarter points to tie the game.

And, when it seemed like Miami had regained control after Fiedler hit Leslie Sheppard for a TD and a 37-30 lead, the Jets battled back again.

Vinny Testaverde threw to a 3-yard TD pass to Jumbo Elliot on a tackle-eligible play that tied the game with 42 seconds left. It was Testaverde's fourth TD pass of the quarter.

In overtime, Fiedler threw his third interception, leading to John Hall's 40-yard field goal that won the game, 40-37.

When Monday Night Football celebrated its 500th telecast in 2002, fans picked this as the greatest game in the history of the series.

It has forever come to be known as "The Monday Night Miracle."

The years following that game were down ones for both franchises, as the Dolphins only made the playoffs once and the Jets three times, winning just one postseason game between them.

Then came last year, and the Brett Favre experiment, which actually began in Miami.

On opening day, Favre threw two TD passes, including a Hail Mary at the end of the first half that Chansi Stuckey somehow caught, to beat the Dolphins 20-14 in Dolphin Stadium.

That started the Jets on an 8-3 surge that made them seem playoff-bound.

We all know what happened next.

Favre hurt his elbow, and the Jets struggled, losing three of their next four to fall to second in the AFC East.

The Dolphin entered the Meadowlands on the final weekend of the regular season needing a win to clinch the division and a playoff berth.

Favre threw three interceptions, while jettisoned Jet Chad Pennington completed 22-of-30 passes for 200 yards and two TDs in a 24-17 win.

The Dolphins went to the playoffs, while the Jets stayed home.

Just another chapter in what has historically been one of the best rivalries in the NFL, a rivalry that will feature new heroes Monday night, as young QBs Mark Sanchez and Chad Henne face off for the first of what could be many times.

Let's hope it lives up to the long, memorable history established between these two franchises.

(Photo: Yahoo Images)

NFL breakdown: Dolphins second in East

The time for waiting is just about over, as the NFL kicks off with tonight's Tennessee Titans-Pittsburgh Steelers matchup.

The Dolphins kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday in Atlanta, the first of three straight games against playoff opponents in 2009. So, how will the Fins do this year? My AFC East predictions follows, as well as my overall NFL predictions for 2009:

AFC East
1. New England Patriots (11-5): Yes, Tom Brady is coming off a major knee injury, and the Pats just traded away five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour. But the Patriots have a wealth of talent on both sides of the ball, and with Bill Belichick at the controls, they are always a threat. Belichick may have done his best coaching job ever last season, when he took Matt Cassel and the Pats to 11-5, narrowly missing a playoff berth. With Brady back, look for fireworks similar to 2007, when New England set the all-time scoring mark, and Brady threw for 50 TDs and Moss added a record 23 receiving scores. The defense ranked 10th last year despite having a porous secondary. Belichick addressed that need by signing free agents Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden. Linebacker Jerrod Mayo should continue to improve, after massing 126 tackles last season. And Vince Wiflork anchors a good defenseive line that will benefit from the addition of Derrick Burgess. Still the team to beat in the conference.

2. Miami Dolphins (10-6): The Dolphins have a tougher schedule than in last year's worst-to-first campaign, but they are a better team than last year. Chad Pennington is now fully in control of the offense, after coming in off the street to play in Week 1 last year. Ted Ginn is entering the all-important third year when wide receivers typically start to flourish. And he has plenty of help behind him in rookies Brian Hartline and Patrick Turner, and veterans Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess. The team made its biggest strides defensively, as rookie corners Sean Smith and Vontae Davis were drafted to shore up a pass defense that ranked 25th a year ago. The additions of Jason Taylor and CFL sack master Cameron Wake should give Joey Porter the help he needs in the pass rush.

3. New York Jets (5-11): The Jets' opening schedule is as brutal as Miami's: at Houston, home against New England and Tennessee, at New Orleans and at Miami. I can't see them winning more than one game in that stretch. From there it doesn't get much easier, and breaking in a rookie starting quarterback and a new defensive scheme will take some time. Still, the Jets do have some good talent, with Thomas Jones, Leon Washington and sleeper Shonn Greene at running back. Dustin Keller is an emerging tight end, Kris Jenkins a good nose tackle if he can stay healthy and Darrelle Revis is becoming one of the best cover men in football. Kerry Rhodes and Jim Leonhard will comprise one of the best safety tandems in the league, and you can't overlook the impact former Ravens linebacker Bart Scott will have on the defense. This is definitely a team to watch in the future.

4. Buffalo Bills (4-12): It's never a good sign when you whack your offensive coordinator a week before the season starts, and an even worse sign when he says the team with Terrell Owens is trying to simplify things on offense. The addition of T.O. to a young and impressionable roster was already dicey, and if things go south -- as they should with Buffalo's schedule -- Owens won't be the happiest Bill in town. The Bills struggled to move the ball during the preseason, even with T.O. The jury is still out on Trent Edwards as a passer, and running back Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games following an offseason arrest for gun possession. Defensively, the Bills have an up-and-comer in second-year cornerback Leodis McKelvin, and middle linebacker Paul Posluszny was solid in his first season with 110 tackles. Defensive end Aaron Schobel is back after missing most of last season due to injury, and Marcus Stroud should hold his ground at defensive tackle. There are some good building blocks here, but the Bills are another year (and perhaps a new head coach) away from contending.

Now, for my truncated picks in the rest of the NFL.

AFC North:
The last time the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured in a motorcycle accident and struggled the following season, and the Steelers fell to 8-8 and out of the playoffs. After last year's Super Bowl win, Roethlisberger was accused of raping a woman, but the Steelers have too much talent to repeat a playoff miss in 2009. They will not win the division though, as the Baltimore Ravens are primed and ready to supplant Pittsburgh. Joe Flacco has grown more confident as a passer in this, his second year, and the Ravens are about to unleash coordinator Cam Cameron's version of "LT Lite," Ray Rice, who will do his best LaDainian Tomlinson impersonation, catching passes and running the ball all over the field.

AFC South:
Many are predicting the Indianapolis Colts' demise after the retirement of Tony Dungy and the release of all-time leading receiver Marvin Harrison. But despite a rushing offense and defense that struggled last season, I think the Colts will be fine, and should win their division after a one-year absence. Peyton Manning is still running the offense, Joseph Addai will benefit from the addition of Donald Brown in the running game, and Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez and tight end Dallas Clark will keep the passing game humming. I also like the fact first-year coach Jim Caldwell has beefed up a defensive line that was mainly responsible for the Colts' woes against the run. Now, I'm going to jump on the Houston Texans bandwagon and pick them to finally make the leap and finish second, qualifying for a playoff berth. The Texans simply have too much offensive talent, and they have some star defensive players who should help make the difference.

AFC West:
Clearly the worst division in the conference, with the only team worth mentioning being the San Diego Chargers, who should win their division more comfortably than last year. The Chargers have too many offensive stars, and linebacker Shawne Merriman and cornerback Antonio Cromartie are both healthy after injuries torpedoed their 2008.

Dark horse: Tennessee. The Titans have a difficult schedule and won't repeat last year's 13-3 season, but they have a rejuvenated Kerry Collins and the two-headed running back duo of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Their defense remains sound, even without Albert Haynesworth. If Indy or Houston stumble, the Titans could sneak into the playoffs.

NFC East:
If not for injuries, free agent defections and the death of coordinator Jim Johnson, I would like the Philadelphia Eagles to win the division. But the fact is, the defense suffered too many losses and did not look good in the preseason. Thus, I go with the safe pick, the New York Giants. The Giants are largely the same team that went 12-4 and won the division last year, except Plaxico Burress is no longer on the roster, and the G-Men added to their already deep defenaive line with the additions of Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard -- not to mention the return of Osi Umenyiora after a torn ACL ended his 2008 season. This team would be my NFC favorite if not for one glaring weakness: Wide receiver, where Eli Manning must work with the likes of Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Mario Manningham and second round pick Hakeem Nicks. If one of those players can emerge and give Eli a reliable target, the G-Men may be booking hotel space in Miami in January. Despite the defensive issues, I still think the Eagles have more talent than the Cowboys, who have taken a clear step back since their 13-3 season two years ago. The Giants and Eagles will make the playoffs again.

NFC North:
With all the offseason moves, this division has supplanted the East as the toughest in the NFL. The Bears have the easiest schedule in football, and the addition of quarterback Jay Cutler should put them over the top. The offense is finally good enough to balance out what has been one of the best defenses in football the last few years. The Green Bay Packers are the second choice. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers will join the elite this year, and he directed an offense that was unstoppable in the preseason. The defense was just as good, forcing 23 turnovers in just four preseason games. The Brett Favre experiment in Minnesota will end the way the Jets' did last year, with Favre's team out of the playoffs -- and Brett once again engaging in another long offseason Hamlet soliloquy.

NFC South:
The Atlants Falcons will continue their upward climb with a division championship in 2009. Quarterback Matt Ryan should be better in this, his second year, and he has plenty of offensive firepower in running back Michael Turner, receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez. Five new starters on defense -- including former Jacksonville Jaguars standout Mike Peterson -- should bolster a unit that ranked just 24th overall last season. Thanks to a difficult schedule (and Jake Delhomme at quarterback), the Panthers will finish second, but miss out on the postseason.

NFC West:
Like their AFC counterparts, the NFC West offers the least in 2009. The Arizona Cardinals had a dream season in winning the division and reaching their first Super Bowl, but losing Super Bowl teams usually miss the playoffs the following season. The problem is, none of their NFC West brethren are good enough to take the division from them. The Cards should cruise, with the resurgent Seattle Seahawks applying the pressure. St. Louis and San Francisco are at least a year away from contention.

Dark horse: Minnesota. The Vikings have the defense and the running game, and they've added weapons like Percy Harvin at receiver. But the biggest question is the quarterback. Can the 40-year-old Favre defy the odds (and his gunslinger mentality) to lead the Vikes to the playoffs? Well, Favre faded badly in his last five games with the Jets in 2008, and he does have a propensity for throwing bad interceptions to cost his team. If he can somehow curtail his tendencies -- and stay healthy all year -- Minnesota has a chance.

So, here's how I break down the playoffs:

Wild Card Round:

Steelers over Colts, Chargers over Texans, Falcons over Eagles, Packers over Cardinals

Divisional Round:
Patriots over Steelers, Ravens over Chargers, Bears over Falcons, Packers over Giants

Championship Round:
Ravens over Patriots, Packers over Bears

Super Bowl XLIV:
Packers over Ravens

(Photo: Yahoo images)